Go-ahead for Lammermuir Hills wind farm

The Scottish Government said it has granted planning consent for a new 19-turbine wind farm called Aikengall IIa to be located in the Lammermuir Hills between East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

It said the development by Community Wind Power Ltd will generate up to £9.4 million in community benefit, to be divided equally between local communities.

It said the wind farm will support the creation of around 100 jobs and have a generating capacity of around 75.5 megawatts, enough to power the equivalent of almost 35,000 homes.

The Cabinet Secretary agreed with the findings of the Public Local Inquiry Reporters to grant consent.

The Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for economy, Keith Brown, said: “Renewable energy sources generated more than 56% of gross electricity consumption in Scotland in 2015, helping support our world-leading ambitions to become a low-carbon economy.

“The growth of onshore wind in recent years has been a key factor in the expansion of renewable energy in Scotland: creating jobs, providing secure and low-carbon energy and delivering significant local benefits.”